The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-01-20
DR.. HATCHER SPEAKS.
AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW
WITH CLUVERIUS SPIR-
ITUAL ADVISER.
He Recounts the Story of His Connec-
ton With the Fated Man.
Richmond Dispatch 18th. ]

1t has been known to the public that
Dr. Hatcher was the spiritual counsellor
of the fated Cluverius. This rela ton
ship gave him free access to the prls-
oner's cell He saw him very often,
and generally alone. 1t was known,
too, that the prisoner cherished
grateful affection for his religious ad-
vlser, and it was believed that if he had
secrets to pour into any human ears
DR.. Hatcher would get them. The
feverish curiosity of the people turned
60 this minister and waited longingly
for any revelations which he might
make. Representatives of the press
watched the Doctors movements with
a critical eye, and some of them even
pursued him into the sanctuary and
listened with unwonted attention to his
sermons, family hoping that he would
drop some syllable that would tell the
secrets from the fatal cell. :" Has Gu
| verius confessed ?" "Has anybody
| seen DR.. Hatcher ?" '.Whv doesn't he
| tell what he knows?" " Does he pro-
pose to bury the murderer's bloody
secret in his own breastf
! These were questions constantly run
ming from lip to lip, and banded about
in the shops, hotels, parlors, and eat
ing houses of the city, and, indeed,
these same questions were agltated from
one end of the country to the other.
In :his way DIR. Hatcher was brought
into a notoriety altogether unexpected
in the ouset, and greatly against his
own tastes and wishes.
ALOCKED TONGUE.
Meanwhile the corpulent and good
natured Mr.. Dunn did not keep more
faithful guard over the condemned
murderer than did Dr. Hatcher keep
over his tongue. The lock upon his
lips would have defed the most skilled
expert in the business of opening COM
bination safes. Cluverius was not safer
behind his prison bars than were the
guarded secrets of his Christian pastor.
He always met gentlemen of the press
with open and genial courtesy, but
quietly insisted that they had called
on the wrong man, since his relations
with the prisoner would utterly forbid
his becoming an organ of communica-
ton between the prisoner and the pub
lie SO infexibly reticent had he been
that it was feared that even when the
end came he would refuse to speak.
A reporter of the Dispatch ventured
day or two ago to approach DR..
Hatcher, and inquired if he was fixed
in his determination not to favor the
public with any account of his deal
ings with the prisoner. He said that
he was under an unusual stress of work
and that he had no desire to cater to q
prurent and indecent curiosity. He
added, however, that he had alway:
believed that the prisoners case haC
its public aspects, and that he had fel
that when the proper time came ht
would be quite willing to let the peo
pie have the history of his connection
with the prisoner. 1t was finally ar
ranged that representative of tht
Dispatch would call on him at his con
! venienCe and receive such statement
! as he might be willing to make public
The substance ofthat interview we nov
} lay before our readers
: THE HISTORY OF DR.. HATCHER'S CON
NECTION WITH CLUvERIUS AS HIS RE
LIGIOUS ADVISER.
f Reporter There are many things
. DR.. Hatcher, which must be known tG
= you concerning this fatal and memo
: rable affair which would greatly inter
: est our readers. | am glad that yol
e have expressed readiness for an inter
view, and | will be obliged If you will
{ answer such questions as the DiSbatf,
desires me to ask.
DR.. Hatcher Very we'll state you
). questions, and if they seem pertinen
e and important they will be answered
:, otherwise you will excuse my silence
d | have no interest in this interview ex
Cept to let the public know what cours
u l have pursued in dealing with tn
: spiritual interests OF this ill-fated youn
man and what impressions hfs case ha
+ made upon me. The relations whic
e | have sustained to HIM have been t
me unutterably painful and perplexine
1t is an experience which no sensibl
and conscientious minister could eve
covet, and which l sincerely trust ma
never befall me again.
Reporter How did it happen, Doc
tor, that you became the spiritual ad
10 wiser of the prisoner?
d DR.. Hatcher: 1t came in this wa,
,e He was a former student OF Richmon
)" College, and while | never knew h..
Is intimately during his collegiate car>>.
G. that fact gave him claim upon n
1 1s sympathy. Richmond College is N
Aiwa Mater, and for the dozen yea